Versatile Delaney says he had no trouble with the accent as he's a big fan of US drama The Sopranos.

Babies

"I did have to put on the accent, but watching The Sopranos helped. I'd say the American actors will be raging when they hear the part went to an Irish guy."

The film also features What Richard Did star Jack Reynor.

It is Delaney's first major US feature role but the Zonad star has been steadily carving out a career in the States over the past three years. He's appeared in Julianna Margulies' series The Good Wife and Kiefer Sutherland's Touch.

But Simon, who is the new patron of the Variety Children's Charity at the Odeon in Dublin, said the downside is spending so much time in America away from his family.

"It is very hard being away from home," he said. "Because my kids are so young. They are babies and they miss their dad. Skype is a wonderful invention but the novelty wears off after about two weeks. They don't understand why they can see you and talk to you but can't sit on your lap, so they get bored."

Luckily, Simon is back in Dublin for the next six months, filming the fourth and fifth seasons of award winning cartoon Roy for RTE2.

"My wife is delighted; it's lovely being back for such a long stretch of time. It's the only time in my career where I've known what I'm doing for six solid months."

In February Delaney will be back on our TV screens in a much darker role. The Dublin native will star in Gillian Anderson's BBC2 drama The Fall, about a Belfast serial killer.